Colon Cancer Alternative Treatment

Several different therapies can be used in addition to, or in place of, traditional colon cancer treatment: mind-body medicines, biologically based practices, manipulative and body-based practices, energy medicine, and whole medical systems. If you decide to use any form of alternative treatment for colon cancer, be sure to discuss it with your doctor first to make sure it won't interfere with treatment you are already receiving.

Colon Cancer Alternative Treatments: An Introduction

You have many choices to make before, during, and after your treatment for colon cancer. One option you may be thinking about is complementary and alternative medicine.

There are a number of reasons why people consider complementary and alternative colon cancer treatment, including to:

Help cope with the side effects of cancer treatments, such as nausea, pain, and fatigue

Comfort themselves and ease the worries of treatment and related stress

Feel that they are doing something more to help with their own care

Try to treat or cure their cancer.

What Is an "Alternative Treatment" for Colon Cancer?

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is any medical system, practice, or product that is not thought of as standard care. Standard medical care is care that is based on scientific evidence. For cancer, it includes:

Chemotherapy

Radiation

Biological therapy

Surgery.

Complementary medicine is used along with standard medical treatments. One example is using acupuncture to help with side effects of cancer treatment.

Alternative medicine is used in place of standard medical treatments. One example is using a special diet to treat cancer instead of a method that a cancer specialist (an oncologist) suggests.

Integrative medicine is a total approach to care that involves the person's mind, body, and spirit. It combines standard medicine with the complementary and alternative medicine practices that have shown the most promise. For example, some people learn to use relaxation as a way to reduce stress during chemotherapy.

For this article, we will be using the phrase "colon cancer alternative treatment" to include alternative, complementary, and integrative medicine.

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